The bank may be able to just back out. This depends on what kind of approval they give your offer. Most likely they have the ability to do this. But, if you are qualified to buy and your offer is in line with their estimates of what the property should bring, I don't see why they would do that. If you have only been negotiating with the bank for a month it would be wise for you to expect to wait still longer. It is not uncommon for buyers of short sales to have to wait for six months and even more to close a sale that is dependent on the approval of the mortgage holder.
The worst case scenerio is that the bank will drag things out, not answer and go ahead with the foreclosure. If that happens it could force you to deal with a new listing agent after they process the home and put it back on the market . That could take a lot of time.
Sadly, short sales favor investors with cash who can sit and wait - not families who need a home. - Tue Nov 24 2009, 23:27